Today is the eighth day of the Alaska trip and the last full day that we’ll be in the state. We made the most of it by going to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and shopping in downtown Anchorage.
We left the hotel at around 9 a.m. after breakfast and took an hour-long bus drive to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The bus ride itself was unforgettable, showcasing miles of snowy mountains and an icy fjord. We even caught a glimpse of Dall sheep along the roadside cliffs.
At 10 a.m. we arrived at the Wildlife Conservation. Alaska is known for its “Big Five:” Bear, Moose, Caribou, Dall Sheep, and Wolves — the five most iconic animals within the land. Besides Dall sheep, the Wildlife Conservation held all of these. We also got to see foxes, muskox, deer, elk, coyotes, eagles, and even a porcupine.
We stopped for lunch at “Flattop Pizza & Pasta” before shopping at touristy stores in downtown Anchorage for a couple hours, where many bought souvenirs for their friends and family. We even got to meet our tour guide’s very sweet dog, Denali, before ending the day with dinner at “Humpy’s,” a beloved restaurant within Anchorage; it is named after the pronounced hump on pink salmon that males develop on their backs during their spawning migration.